Boards of public entities to include persons with disability

A budgetary measure to enforce a 1967 law for the inclusion of persons with disability in companies employing over 20 people, has seen government and opposition agreeing to a bill amending the first batch of laws to ensure the membership of persons with disability in decision-making roles.

The 1967 law, which is now being enforced for the first time, legislates that 2% of the workforce of companies employing over 20 people must be composed of people with a disability.

“Undoubtedly this was the strongest budget for the disability sector,” parliamentary secretary for persons with disability Justyne Caruana said.

One of the government initiatives includes the representation of persons with disability in several government boards and authorities and a bill was tabled in parliament to amend the first batch of laws to ensure the membership of persons with disability in such decision making roles.

The bill, which enjoys the Opposition’s support, targets nine sets of legislation: Housing Authority Act; Employment and Training Services Act; Broadcasting Act; Malta Statistics Authority Act; Refugees Act; Equality for Men and Women Act; Domestic Violence Act; Voluntary Organizations Act; Authority for Transport in Malta Act.

There are around 27,000 persons with disability living in Malta and Gozo. Caruana explained that, with every person with disability, there was a family effected directly or indirectly not only by the disability itself but also by the particular challenges related to the disability.

“Since today we are focusing more on human rights, active involvement and active citizenship and therefore towards full inclusion and mainstreaming, persons with disability need to be at the forefront,” she said.

In its efforts for a more inclusive society, the government launched different measures to ensure that persons with disability are involved in society. These include the appointment of the Guardianship board, the setting up of the National Focal Point for the Rights of Persons with Disability responsible for the implementation of the UNCRPD and new employment measures.

“The next step is the representation bill. These amendments will ensure that persons with disability directly participate in decision-making processes. They will form an integral part of these bodies and therefore they will be in a position to affect processes promoting the disability agenda across the board,” she said.

Caruana added that the mission statement was to ensure full adherence to the UNCRPD: “We want to send a clear message that social inclusion must take place in a tangible manner.”

Following its second reading in parliament, the bill will now be passed on to the consideration of bills committee where the necessary legal amendments and technicalities will be approved.

The debate also saw the intervention of Family Minister Michael Farrugia, parliamentary secretary Stefan Buontempo, shadow minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici and MPs Robert Cutajar and Stephen Spiteri.

Minister was ‘not involved in fostering pioneer’s transfer’

Family minister Michael Farrugia insisted he had not been involved in the transfer fostering veteran John Role received before he was reinstated to his position following public outcry.

During his intervention in the disability debate, Opposition MP Robert Cutajar said Farrugia had failed to answer a parliamentary question on who had taken the decision ordering the transfer.

Instead, the reply was: “the information requested is still being collected”.

Taking the floor, Farrugia said it was “deplorable” that Cutajar had tried “to alienate” the public from the topic at hand. He said, that newspapers had already reported that it was Appogg who took the administrative decision to remove Role.

“I took the political decision to withdraw this administrative decision and reinstate him. We all know Role’s valuable contribution to the sector and he will be involved in the setting up of a fostering agency.”